Railway car truck



Nov. 10, 1931. M. H. MARTIN 1,831,022

RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l 9 W A s fig- 2:

gwwwrvfoc- Mark H. Mar/7h NOV. 1931. M. H. MARTIN 1,831,022

RAILWAY PAR TRUCK Filed Feb. 23, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mark H. ME)??? Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED era res PATENT. OFFICE MARK 'H. MARTIN, OF READING; PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IBIRD'SBORO STEEL FOUNDRY AN'D MACHINE COMPANY, OF BIRDSBOR'O, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- .TION OF PENNSYLVANIA RAILWAY can. TRUCK My invention relatesto railway car trucks. The principal object .of my invention is to devise a railway car truck including side frames which are arranged to carry a numj ber of truck springs ineXcess of the A. R. A. group of four springs and to dispose the former springs in such locations as will distribute the load on the side frames in the most effective manner.

A further objectis to devise a car truck wherein the disposition of the enlarged spring grouping on the side frames is utilized to obtain a rigid connection therebetween and the spring plank, maintaining the parallelism. of

the frames and the squareness of the truck.

A further object is the provision of a truck of the character described in which the under side of the truck bolster is specially formed to cooperate effectively with the truck springs,

a retaining themabsolutely inposition and insuring their working in a perpendicular direction. r

A further object is the provision of a side frame arranged for the carriage of the aforesaid spring grouping which embodies certain improvements in respect of a simpler distribution of the metal for casting purposes without increasing the weight or affecting the strength of the side frame.

The invention included within the present applicat on relates to a modification. of the truck structure disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 325,268. filed December 11, 1928. The spring grouping and the general manner of attaining a rigid connection between the side frames and spring plank is identical in the two trucks'but in the present construction, that; portion of the side frame which cooperates with the spring plank. is differently arranged in the interest of obtaining a simpler casting and a more rigid structure. In addition, the cooperation of the bolster with the springs is effected in a simpler manner through a reduction in the number of necessary parts and the incorporation of their major functions in the holster proper. I 1

. These and further objects of my invention.

will be set forth in the followingspeciication,

69 reference being had to the accompanying Fig. 2, looking towards the under side of one 1 end of the truck bolster.

Fig. 4 is a section along the line 33 in Fig. 2, showing in plan view one end of the spring plank.

Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 in Fig. 1, showing the shelfarrangemeht of the side frame for supporting the spring plank. Fig. dis a section along the line 6-6 in Fig. 1, showing the construction of a portion of the bolster column ofthe side frame.

Fig. 7 isia View of the underside of one end of the truck bolster asshown in Fig. .2.

Fig. 8 is an elevation ofthe upper spring cap as viewed in the direction of the arrow 8 in Fig. 2.

The numeral '10 represents a side frame having :a compression member 11, tension member 12, and bolster columns 13,said mem-. bers and columns defining a window opening 147E01 the reception of the bolster hereinafter described. Said opening is wider in the lower portion thereof in accordance with standard practice.

The bottom leg and the portions of the diagonal'legs of the tension member 12, adjacent the opening 14, are of hollow, rectansection, as shown at 15 inFig. 2,'and shelves 16 extend outwardly from the vertical sides of said section in the same plane with the upper side 17 thereof. The shelves 16 are of a suitable width and length to adequately support the spring grouping hereinafter described and are preferably retained in the same plane throughout theirlength, finally tapering and merging into the diagonal portions of the tension member, as shown at 18 in Figs. 1 and 5. Strengtheningribs 19 may be disposed at appropriate intervals on the under sides of the shelves 16 against the vertical walls of the section and a plurality of strengthening webs 20 may be disposed through the interior of the section 15 beneath the upper side 17 thereof.

Extending upwardly from the side 17 is a plurality of ribs 21 which are joined at intervals by webs 22, and the ends of said ribs merge gradually into the diagonal tension members adjacent the bolster columns 13, as shown in Fig. 1. A. plurality of depressions 23 are formed in each of the shelves 16 and a boss 24 projects upwardly from each of said depressions through an aperture 25 which is provided in a spring plank 26. This manner of securing an engagement between the spring plank and side frame is old in the art and in and of itself forms no part of'my invention, but has been referred to. as assisting the more positive engagement of the plank with the frame as hereinafter described.

The spring plank 26 rests on the shelves 16 and is formed with an offset portion 27 which fits snugly over the raised, or intermediate shelf, formed by the upwardly projecting ribs 21. The ends of the plank are accordingly rigidly secured to the side frame in a manner which is superior to thatnow obtaining in practice, with consequent advantage in maintaining the proper relation of the truck members. The side edges of said plank may be flanged upwardly as at 28 for strength and are preferably curved outwardly at the ends of the portion 27, as at 29, to conform to the spring grouping hereinafter described. A spring seat 30 fits snugly over that portion of the spring plank which is directly above the shelves 16 and ribs 21 and a plurality of bosses 31 extend upwardly from said seatin appropriate locations for centering and retaining in position the plurality of springs which will now be described.

A pair of springs 32, constituting the outer group, is carried upon that portion of the seat 30 which is disposed above the outer shelf 16, a second pairof springs 33, constituting the inner group, is carried upon that portion of said seat above the inner shelf 16, and a trio of springs 34, constituting the intermediate group, is carried upon that portion of said seat which is disposed above the ribs 21. Said sprlngs are of the standard A. R. A. helical type and may be arranged in the grouping indicated and in the relative elevations shown, or they may be disposed in other 'erably of hollow construction. A strengtheningrib 36 is disposed between the upper and lower walls of said bolster in a location to sustain effectively the load which is transmitted to the spring grouping hereinbefore described, while the outer end of said bolster is partially closed by a strengthening web 37. The bolster cooperates in the usual manner with the bolster columns 13 through the medium of guide lugs 38.

The bottom wall 39 of the bolster is carried over the intermediate spring group 34 and at the outer end of said wall, adjacent the end of said bolster, a dependent portion 40 is formed. Similarly, a dependent portion 41 extends downwardly from the wall 39 on the opposite side of said intermediate spring group. Said portions 40 and 41 have facing profiles which are generally indicated by the numerals 42 and 43, respectively, as shown in Fig. 7, and are disposed in locations to register with the upper ends of the outer and inner spring groups 32 and 33. Fitting snugly on the under side of the bolster 35, including the lower wall 39 and the depending portions 40 and 41 is a spring cap 44 which has the profile as shown in Fig. 3, approximating that of the portions 40 and 41, and is preferably formed with bulges 45 which engage with indentations 49 formed in the portions 40 and 41 to prevent movement of the cap. A plurality of bosses 46 project downwardly from said cap, and serve the samepurpose as the bosses 31 in the seat 30.

The side walls of the bottom tie member 12 and the upper side 17 thereof extend upwardly toward the ends of the frame from points between the columns 13, said upper side merging into the web portions of said columns and extending a predetermined dis tance beyond, as indicated generally by. the numeral 47,- strengthening the side frame at this point, and an opening 48may be formed in each bolster column above the junction thereof with the diagonal tension memberto secure a saving in weight. V

A truck constructed according to the foregoing specification not only incorporates the added and reserve spring capacity which is a market featureof modern truck design. but distributes the major portion of the load im posed on the tension member of the side frame in locations which are arranged to adequately sustain it. Further, the manner of carrying the spring load is availed of to secure a rigid connectionbetween the side frame and the spring plank, while the shaping of the under side of the truck bolster to conform to the different elevations of the spring groups results in a decrease in the number of parts required, relative to the truck disclosed in the aforesaid copending application without affecting the efficient cooperation of the bolster with the springs.

' It isto be understood, howevenjthat while I have shown one set of elements and combinations thereof in respect. of the disclosure of my improved truck, the same'is for the purpose of illustration only and in nowise to restrict my arrangement to the" exact "Tee fours and structures shown, for many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. A side frame for a railway car truck comprising a group of ribs projecting upwardly from the bottom tie member of said frame to form a seat for engagement with a spring plank.

2. A side'frame for a railway car truck comprising a hollow, bottom tie member and a group of ribs projecting from the upper side of said member to form a seat for engagement with a spring plank.

3. A side frame for a railway car truck comprising. a hollow, bottom tie member, shelves extending laterally from said member in a common plane with the upper side of said member, and a group of ribs extending upwardly from said side, said shelves and group forming a seatfor engagement with a spring plan 4. A side frame for a railway car truck comprising a hollow, bottom tie member,

shelves extending laterally from said member in a common plane with the upper side of said member, a projection extending upwardly from said side, said shelves and projection forming a seat for engagement with a spring plank, and strengthening ribs disposed within the interior of said member beneath said side.

5. A side frame for a railway car truck comprising a hollow, bottom tie member, shelves extending laterally from said memher in a common plane with the upper side of said member, a group of ribs extending upwardly from said side, said shelves and group forming a seat for engagement with a spring plank, and strengthening ribs disposed within the interior of said member beneath said side.

6. A side frame for a railway car truck comprising a hollow, bottom tie member, shelves extending laterally and lengthwlse from said tie member to merge into the diagonal tension members, both of said extensions being in a common plane with the upper side of said tie member, and a projection extending upwardly from said side, said shelves and projection forming a seat for engagement with a spring plank.

7. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side frame comprising a group of ribs projecting upwardly from the bottom tie member of said frame, and a spring plank resting on said group and conforming to the external shape thereof.

8. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side frame comprising a hollow, bottom tie member and a group of ribs projecting upwardly from the upper side of said member, and a spring plank resting on said group and conforming to the external shape thereof.

9. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side frame comprising a hollow, bottom tion of a side frame, a plurality of truck' springs carried by said frame arranged in inner, outer and intermediate groups, said inner and outer groups being supported by means positioned in a common plane and said intermediate group by means positioned in a different plane, a spring cap resting on said springs and a bolster carried by said cap, said cap and bolster being shaped respectively to conform to the different elevations of said spring groups. i

11. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side frame, a plurality of truck springs carried by said frame arranged in inner, outer and intermediate groups, said inner and outer groups being supported by means positioned in a common plane and said intermediate group by means positioned in a higher plane, a spring cap resting on said springs and a bolster'carried by said cap, said cap and bolster being shapedto conform to the different elevations of said spring groups, respectively. I

12. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side frame, a plurality of truck springs carried by said frame arranged in inner, outer and intermediate groups, said inner and outer groups being supported by means positioned in a common plane and said intermediate group by means positioned in a different plane, a spring cap resting on said. springs and a bolster carried by said cap, said cap and bolster being shaped respectively to conform to the different elevations of said spring groups, and said cap including means extending into indentations formed in the under side of said bolster for preventing movement of said cap.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

MARK H. MARTIN. 

